Location of the most recent breach into Malifaux, Latest area to be occupied by the forces of Cryx, Stronghold of the Dark Legion, Homeworld of the 'Night Reapers' Space Marine Chapter, Council of Seven allocated Deadzone and the lair of some opinionated git called GMort who they let hang out with them...when he's not distracted by Steampunk, Gothic culture or Cosplay...

Wednesday, 30 November 2016

As usual here's my mid-week break from hobby related features with a Steampunk gallery...

If you're here for the hobby stuff rather than my interest in less miniature steampunk then there will be a feature tomorrow or you can peruse the links in the header and sidebar for articles I've done in the past...or you can do both if you wish...

The theme of this weeks steampunk gallery is going to be parasols and umbrellas for no better reason than the fact that it's very much winter in the UK.....

Wyrd Games new game set in the same world as Malifaux but with it's own rule-set and focusing on larger scale games (by that I mean more models, it's still 32mm in model scale) is coming soon to Kickstarter and to wet our appetites a lot of new information has appeared on their website...

The Guild's iron-fisted grip on the Soulstone trade has worn Earth nations raw, creating a powder keg of alliances and enemies. Just when a world war seemed ready to erupt, horrendous creatures from a plane known as Malifaux tore their way through reality. The true battle of survival has begun.

The Other Side is an upcoming game about allegiances doing battle across the Earth in a fight for supremacy and survival. Using 32mm miniatures, players will control squads of troops and massive titans as they attempt to defeat their foes and seize control of Earth.. Conflict is resolved through the use of a deck of cards, allowing players more control over their own destinies. The Other Side shares a world with Malifaux, but the games are not compatible.

It appears that were getting four factions in total (so far) and each one is different to those that with seen in Malifaux though the overall art style is still very recognisable...

Here's some more information on those allegiances from Wyrds website.

Abyssinia

My people see the value of honoring the past and chasing the future. Soulstones let us use that which came before to move into that which will be.

— Prince Unathi

The Abyssinian Empire was born in Ethiopia, on the east coast of Africa, hundreds of years ago, but its rise to prominence in Africa (and the rest of the world) came in the 1800s. With the world thrown into chaos with the opening of the Breach and the subsequent Black Powder Wars, Abyssinia began rapidly expanding its borders. Now, with the rise of the Burning Man, Abyssinia has decided to once again expand their global reach.

Abyssinians are the masters of Soulstone technology. A temporary breach to the world of Malifaux in the seventeenth century gave them access to Soulstones years before anyone else, though they kept this a closely guarded secret. This fueled innovation, and led to Abyssinia being the most advanced nation on Earth. The Abyssinian army is a mix of elite troops and machines of war, able to fight effectively in melee or at range.

Cult of the Burning Man

No longer shall the vestiges of a fallen civilization hold us back. We have seen the face of freedom! The Burning Man comes to free us all. His fire shall purify the righteous and burn the unworthy!

— Raving Madman

The Cult has its beginnings in the ramblings of Ephraim Wade. Ephraim had strange visions, born of the things to come, and spread his twisted views with any who would listen. He didn't attract much attention at first, but when the Burning Man appeared in the skies above London, it lent credence to many of Ephraim's teachings. As London burned, the Cult rose from its flames.

The Cult are the insane followers of the enigmatic Burning Man. The forces of the voiceless entity are made up of monstrous aberrations and humans touched by the chaotic magics that lie between worlds. A Cult of the Burning Man army specializes in hit and run tactics and using magic to defeat their foes.

Gibbering Hordes

We were driven from the land and into the ocean, and we were taken from the ocean and forced to this world. Here we shall be like the tide and the storm, and we shall claim the Earth for Meridian.

— The Stormsiren

The Gibbering Hordes are denizens of old Malifaux, before the fall of the Tyrants. In the resulting war, they chose the wrong side and were cast into the ocean. Over the centuries, their forms twisted to accommodate their new lives, and as the years passed they began to forget... but numerous portals opening in the ocean dumped the Hordes onto Earth, shocking the creatures into a hunger-filled frenzy.

The Gibbering Hordes are amphibious creatures that dwell in many of Malifaux's waterways and oceans. Much of their intelligence has been forgotten in favor of sharp animal instinct and a desire to survive. Led by their more aware kin, the Hordes have decided to make the Earth their new home. A Gibbering Hordes army is focused on melee, using their seemingly infinite numbers to conquer their enemies.

Kings Empire

The world is in chaos. The Guild’s losing its grip and the Empire is resurgent. Now is the time to strike and take our nation to its proper place on the world stage.

— Margaret Belle

The King's Empire stretches across the British Isles and includes strong presences in foreign territories such as India. Though it was originally the home of the Guild, the Empire has since freed itself from the yoke of oppression and now seeks to stand on its own. With the deluge over London and the onslaught of the Gibbering Hordes, the King's Empire has mobilized its forces and now heads to war.

The King's Empire utilizes its global presence and strength of arms to help shape the fate of Earth. Using well-trained troops and advanced firearms, the King's Empire will give no ground. An Empire army specializes in long range firepower and cunning tactics to defeat those who oppose them.

More information on the game-play itself and some of the rules mechanics can be found on Wyrd games website here but I've also summarised it below...

GAMEPLAY
The Other Side is a streamlined game intended to be easy to pick up and learn while still providing an exciting, tactical experience for players.

The epic battles taking place across the Earth are played out on a 6 x 4 table with scattered, light terrain. Alternating activations keep you involved in the action every step of the way, while a five turn game keeps the fighting quick and bloody. The average game lasts about two hours.

The Other Side is won and lost by how well your troops complete their mission, creating an ebb and flow to the battle as objectives are fiercely contested throughout the entire game.

Glory
The Other Side takes the traditional idea of morale in wargames and turns it on its head by focusing on the inspiration that leads soldiers to greatness on the battlefield rather than the moments of panic and fear that make them break formation and flee.

Every unit in the game has a stat card with two sides: its standard side and its Glory side. When certain conditions are met, units are able to flip their card over and go into Glory. While in Glory, units have better stats, better actions, and abilities that can truly turn the tide of battle in their favor!

Don’t cower in fear of morale any more -- rise to greatness; rise to Glory!

Stratagems
Battles are won and lost by more than individual troops. There are lines of supply, hovering zeppelins, and magical rituals that might have a significant impact upon the outcome of a battle. These advantages are represented by Stratagems.

Stratagems are used by shrewd Commanders as the battle unfolds around them, allowing them to call in reinforcements, unleash experimental weapons, or exploit the current battlefield conditions to gain an edge over their foes.

All of these gambits require your Commander’s attention to unleash, however, and knowing when to take advantage of a Stratagem will be something that separates the greatest generals of the era from those that are forgotten by history.

Fight for your Allegiance
Select an Allegiance and choose which of its mighty Commanders will lead your Company into battle to defeat its foes.

Commanders are able to hire troops from their loyal followers after learning their mission, ensuring that they always bring the units that are best suited to claiming victory.

Those units might be Champions, highly trained warriors who bring their skill and tactical cunning to the battlefield, Squads of troops whose greatest asset is their strength of numbers, or even the colossal Titans, devastating engines of war which are capable of enduring - and unleashing - a withering amount of firepower.

GAME COMPONENTS
Below is a look at some of the components used in The Other Side.

Stat Cards

The Other Side focuses on a streamlined experience that brings the specific rules of each Allegiance and unit to the forefront with stat cards.

At just a glance, you can see what your units are capable of doing, making it easier to focus on outmaneuvering your enemies. Combined with Asset and Stratagem cards, this puts all the information you need right at your fingertips.

Models

Magic, steampunk, monsters, and soldiers collide to make the battlefields of The Other Side action-packed. In order to get you into the action sooner, every model in The Other Side will come preassembled and ready for play!

The Other Side also takes advantage of movement bases that allow small groups of models - known as Fireteams - to act independently during the game, making gameplay smooth and easy despite the number of models on the table.

The models in The Other Side are 32mm scale with high levels of detail, allowing painters plenty of opportunity to paint their Champions, Squads, and Titans in whatever way they wish.Fate Deck

The Other Side uses a standard deck of cards, known as a Fate Deck, in order to resolve conflict. It’s as simple as flipping a card, adding your stat, and comparing it to a target number.

The Fate Deck gives players control over their Companies in the form of the Control Hand. Cards in your Control Hand can be used to replace flipped cards, ensuring that the actions you want to succeed won’t fail at a critical moment. Say farewell to all those rolled 1s!